The crewman knocked unconscious in a pit-road accident Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will recover fully and should return to the track soon, he said from the hospital.

Chuck Buckman, chief mechanic for rookie Mario Moraes, suffered a concussion and cuts and scrapes on his face and scalp when he was struck by Danica Patrick during practice for the Indianapolis 500.

"I really don't remember how it happened," Buckman said through the track's public relations staff.

"All I remember is I was talking to someone on Marco Andretti's team, and then everything is blank from that point. I will be OK and hopefully back to work in a day or two."

Buckman was treated on pit road and checked in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield medical center before being transported to Methodist Hospital.

"It was really, really unfortunate what happened today," Patrick said. "Thoughts and prayers are with him, with his family, and hopefully he can get back to the track soon and be able to do what he loves."

More medical

Although a CT scan showed no fractures after his hard crash, rookie Alex Lloyd was held at Methodist Hospital because of persistent neck pain.

Mario Dominguez also crashed, but he was not injured.

Still looking

Reunification has increased the number and strength of teams competing for spots but it has made it difficult for drivers looking to put together last-minute deals.

"There's not an engine shortage, there's not a tire shortage, there's a car shortage now," said John Andretti, who was among the drivers hunting for a ride.

"People are struggling to get extra efforts together. The people that already have them already have them locked in."

Jimmy Kite also was looking around Friday, and Alex Barron and Roger Yasukawa have been linked to the Beck-Agajanian car that has yet to run. A.J. Foyt has a second car in need of funding, but there's not much else.

New view

Work on the road course for the MotoGP race in September makes the south end of the speedway look to fans like a different track. But to the drivers? Not so much.

"For me, Turn 1 is too fast, so I don't have enough time to look around," two-time winner Helio Castroneves said. "I'm focusing on that, hold my breath and sometimes I close one eye."

Hanging on

Driver/owner Sarah Fisher landed a sponsorship deal with Milwaukee-based Direct Supply, but her new team still could be in trouble. Another backer had yet to pay, and the rain has minimized practice time vital to Fisher making the 500.

Who's the boss

Retired Gil de Ferran, who returned to Indy for 500 preparations for the first time since he won in 2003, said he kept his winner's ring at home but did not wear it.

"The only ring I wear is from my owner," de Ferran said, holding up his left hand to show off his wedding band.

Quotable

Blind race fan Mark Minzes, who took a ride in the Indy Racing Experience two-seater with two-time 500 winner Arie Luyendyk driving: "I've been on a lot of roller coasters and rides in my life, but that definitely takes the cake of any coaster or car ride I have ever had."